On Thursday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that he and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had submitted a letter to the European Commission advocating for the establishment of a Europe-wide air defense system. The call for enhanced air defense has gained urgency for Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine and has experienced missile intrusions into its airspace.
During an interview with TVP Info, Tusk stated, "I sent a letter to the European Commission, together with Prime Minister Mitsotakis, regarding a common European defense policy." He noted that the European Commission had already responded positively to the proposal, emphasizing the significant financial commitment required for anti-missile air defense.
Tusk stressed the need for European countries to cooperate rather than compete in developing their air defense systems, advocating for joint investments in the defense industry. "We need less fragmentation and more common projects, such as the air defense shield proposed by Mitsotakis and myself," he added.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed this sentiment on the social media platform X, endorsing the idea of a unified air defense strategy.
In April, Tusk mentioned that Polish generals and Jacek Siewiera, the head of the National Security Bureau, supported Poland's participation in various air defense initiatives.
"Only a strong, united Europe with a common defense policy can prevent war. We are preparing for war not because it is inevitable, but to ensure it doesn't happen," Tusk concluded.
